Spacer for awning type window vents



Jan. 29, 1957 D. c. BLANCHARD 2,779,063

SPACER FOR AWNING TYPE WINDOW VENTS Filed Nov. 12, 1954 Fie.4.

INVENTOR. DONN C. BLANCHARD, BY

&,M\ C1 4.

ATTORNEY United States Patent SPACER FOR AWNING TYPE WINDOW VENTS DonnC. Blanchard, Miami, Fla., assignor to Stanley Building SpecialtiesCompany, North Miami, Fla., a corporation of Florida ApplicationNovember 12, 1954, Serial No. 468,291

2 Claims. (Cl. 20-42) This invention relates to a sash spacer and hasparticular reference to a device for connection with an upper channeledhead rail of sashes such as that commonly employed in the wellrecognized awning types of windows, and provides a means whereby thelower sill rail of an upper adjacent sash will be maintained in accurateparallel relation with the upper head rail of the adjacent lower sashwhereby the sashes are held against flexing under the conventionalglazing operation.

The relatively long upper and lower rails of sash constructions commonlyemployed in awning type windows are commonly constructed of aluminum orother light weight metal and, due to their length, have a tendency toflex downwardly upon the application of any unusual pressure thereon,such as that imparted thereto during the glazing of a window, and thistendency to flex frequently causes the lower sill rail to flexdownwardly under the force exerted thereon by the application of puttyor other sealing mediums employed in the glazing of a windew and, as aresult of this flexing, which incidentally, will be relatively small butis sufficient to prevent the fully closing and Weatherstrip position ofthe window in use.

An object of this invention resides in the provision of a spacer devicethat is proportioned to have clipping engagement within the channel ofthe upper head rail to lie in the path of swinging movement of the sillrail of an adjacent sash, whereby the overlapping sash rails will beeffectively held in proper alignment during the glazing of the window soas to assure of a full and weather-tight closure in accordance with theconstruction of the window and with the spacer being disposedsubstantially intermediate the ends of the rail to be subsequentlyremoved after glazing or may be left in position as a permanent form ofaligning spacer.

A further object of the invention resides in a novel form of spacerhaving adequate spring tension that will maintain the spacer againstaccidental displacement, permitting the spacer to be installed at thepoint of manufacture to be shipped with the window as an assurance thatthe subsequent glazing will not distort the rails.

A further object resides in forming a spacer that is constructed to havea camming action at its forward side whereby the sill rail of the uppersash will be flexed upwardly to its normally straight and parallelrelation to the head rail of the adjacent sash.

Features of construction and operation of the spacer will be clearlyapparent during the course of the following description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, wherein has been illustrated apreferred form of the device and wherein like characters of referenceare employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spacer constructed in accordancewith the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of an upper header rail of aconventional awning type window sash showing the invention appliedthereto,

2,779,068 Patented Jan. 29, 1957 Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectionalview illustrating a pair of co-acting sash rails in the partially openposition, and

Figure 4 is a similar view but with the sashes in the fully closedposition.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates achanneled upper head rail of a window sash, and figure 6 designates achanneled lower sill rail of an adjacent upper sash. The sashes arepivoted in a horizontal plane as is customary and are simultaneouslyswung in a vertical plane for the opening and closing of the window,this being well recognized in sash constructions of the awning windowtype.

The spacer, illustrated as a whole by the numeral 7, embodies agenerally U-shaped member of any desired length and preferably formed ofrelatively stiif metal. The spacer embodies a vertical rear leg portion8 and a forward inclined leg portion 9. The upper portion of the leg 9is curved upwardly and rearwardly to merge into a substantially flathead portion 10 with the curved portion forming a camming surface 11.The transverse width of the spacer will obviously be determined inaccordance with the particular window with which it is used.

In-use, the spacer is inserted within the channel of the rail 5substantially intermediate its length and with the leg portion 8 restingagainst the flanged construction 12 of the sash. The leg 9 is flexedinwardly at which time the spacer is forced downwardly to rest upon thetransverse web 13 of the rail 5 and upon its fully seated position, theleg 9 will spring outwardly to bind against the forward side of thechannel. in this position, the flat head portion 10 will be disposed atan elevation representing the normal elevation of the lower flange 14 ofthe lower rail 6, which position has been pre-determined for theaccurate glazing and sealing of the rails with respect to each other.Should the lower rail 6 be slightly bowed downwardly prior to glazing,the flange 14 will engage the curved cam surface 11 and force the rail 6upwardly to its proper alignment with the rail 5 and a continued closingmovement will dispose the flange 14 in overriding and seating engagementupon the head portion 10, in which position the glazer may proceed withthe glazing of the window without danger of flexing the rail 6downwardly and will assure that, after glazing, the parts will remain intheir proper position of alignment to permit an accurate closing actionof the window. After the glazing compound has hardened, the spacer maybe removed,

if desired, or may be left in position within the channel of the rail 5without in any way interfering with the proper movement of the sasheswith respect to each other. The spacer may be constructed of springtensioned material and preferably of a material that is resistant torust or corrosion.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very desirable andessential means has been provided to facilitate the glazing of windowsashes in a manner to prevent flexing of the rails. The device isextremely cheap to manufacture, is strong, durable and highly effectivefor the purposes stated.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fallwithin the spirit of the invention as determined by the scope of thesubjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a window construction wherein a plurality ofsashes are horizontally pivoted to swing to and from a positionoverlapping sealing engagement and wherein each of the sashes includechanneled frame members having a header and a sill member, a spacerdevice that is detachably engaged within the channel of each headermember for overriding contacting engagement of the sill member of a nextadjacent sash whereby the sill member will be accurately aligned inparallel relation to the adjacent header member to permit a fully closedoverlapping and sealing engagement of the sashes with respect to eachother, the said spacer being of U-shape and provided with a bearing headportion and supporting leg members and with the leg members beingcompressible for permitting insertion of the spacer within the channelof the header whereby the leg members frictionally bind against theinner sides of the channel and with the leg members determining thedepth of movement of the spacer into the channel whereby the headportion is disposed at an elevation that supports the sill member of theadjacent sash in a position parallel with the header and that permits afully closed and overlapping engagement of the sashes throughout theirlength.

2. In combination with a window construction wherein a plurality ofsashes are horizontally pivoted to swing to and from a position ofoverlapping sealing engagement and wherein each of the sashes includechanneled frame members having a header and a sill member, a spacerdevice that is detachably engaged within the channel of each headermember for overriding contacting engagement of the sill member of a nextadjacent sash whereby the sill member will be accurately aligned inparallel relation to the adjacent header member to permit a fully closedoverlapping and sealing engagement of the sashes with respect to eachother, the said spacer being stamped from sheet metal and with thespacer being of inverted U-shape having an upper fiat head portion, arear right angle leg portion and a forward inclined leg portion, theforward leg portion at its upper extremity being upwardly and rearwardlycurved into the flat head portion to form a lifting cam surface that isdisposed in the path of movement of the adjacent sill member that hasbeen accidently bowed downwardly out of parallelism with the adjacentheader frame member, the cam surface elevating the bowed sill memberwhereby it will override and have resting support upon the flat headportion.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATEIITS2,212,221 Alexander et al Aug. 20, 1940 2,622,672 Thomas Dec. 23, 19522,690,336 Belmont Sept. 28, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 624,506 Great BritainJune 10, 1949 282,969 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1952

